Is your office desk job ruining your posture?

Sitting on an office chair for prolonged periods of time can cause low back pain or worsen an existing back problem, according to Pain Consultant and Bone Specialist Tabraiz Khan.

“Sitting on an office chair or in general, in a static posture can increase stress in the back, shoulders, arms, and legs, and in particular, add pressure to the back muscles and spinal discs,” said Khan on SAMAA TV’s programme NayaDin on Tuesday.

While sitting on an office chair for a long period, most people tend to slouch, and this posture can overstretch the spinal ligaments and strain the discs and surrounding structures in the spine. “Over time, incorrect sitting posture can damage spinal structures and worsen back pain,” added Khan.

“Most of my patients are those who do have desk jobs and sit on it for hours,” said Khan. “Sitting for long hours is very harmful to your health and causes more problems than just posture-related issues.”

People only visit doctors when they have severe back pain, however, they fail to realize the other symptoms of it, said Khan. “Neck pain, joint pains, leg pain, lethargic body, mood swings, body stiffness, anxiety, and depression are also linked to back pain,” he remarked.

Khan suggested that people should stand for at least 30 minutes per hour for improved health. “People should try to stand after sitting for more than 30 minutes. Even standing for 10 seconds will prove to be helpful,” he said.

He concluded by saying that if a person is suffering from back pain, then that person should sleep on the floor with an ortho pillow.